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    Long Shot: A HOOPS Novel
    Long Shot: A HOOPS Novel
    Long Shot: A HOOPS Novel
    Audiobook13 hours

    Long Shot: A HOOPS Novel

    Written by Kennedy Ryan

    Narrated by Jo Raylan and Sean Crisden

    4.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    A forbidden love story set in the explosive world of the NBA . . .

    Think you know what it's like being a baller's girl? You don't.

    My fairy tale is upside down. A happily never after.

    I kissed the prince and he turned into a fraud. I was a fool, and his love-fool's gold.

    Now there's a new player in the game, August West. One of the NBA's brightest stars.

    Fine. Forbidden. He wants me. I want him. But my past, my fraudulent prince, just won't let me go.

    *Contains domestic abuse not involving the hero.

    Editor's Note

    RITA Award winner…

    “Long Shot” won the RITA Award for best contemporary romance (long) in 2019. This sports romance will have you in tears as Iris attempts to escape one bad relationship with an up-and-coming NBA star for another pro sweetheart who dominates on and off the court.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateAug 14, 2018
    ISBN9781977388179
    Long Shot: A HOOPS Novel
    Author

    Kennedy Ryan

    A RITA® and Audie® Award winner, USA Today bestselling author Kennedy Ryan writes for women from all walks of life, empowering them and placing them firmly at the center of each story and in charge of their own destinies. Her heroes respect, cherish, and lose their minds for the women who capture their hearts. Kennedy and her writings have been featured in Chicken Soup for the Soul, USA Today, Entertainment Weekly, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, TIME, O magazine, and many others. She is a wife to her lifetime lover and mother to an extraordinary son.

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    Reviews for Long Shot

    4.5/5

    584 ratings44 reviews

    What our readers think

    Readers find this title to be a compelling and emotional read. The book tackles sensitive subjects such as domestic abuse and recovery in a realistic and powerful way. The writing is well-crafted and the character development is strong. While some reviewers had issues with the narration and certain aspects of the story, overall, readers were deeply moved by the book and found it to be an important and impactful read.

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      I loved this book! The writing was so good! 5 star read!

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Well deserved RITA win for the queen of contemporary novels. Kennedy Ryan wrote, emotional and healing. Just read it.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      I can’t believe I haven’t heard of this book until now. Never in a million years did I expect to go through the emotional journey this book took me through. Definitely a lot heavier than I anticipated, and very well done. I couldn’t stop listening. Glad I listened.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 3/5
      3.5 * I enjoyed it, but not as much as hook shot. The third in this series.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      A well researched, compassionate, brutal, heavy and emotional romance novel with very dark themes. I have cried. I am still crying. This is a story of survival and second chances. I want to put Iris and August in a bubble wrap and protect them forever. Oh, and Sarai too. I love them so much. Okay, let me go cry some more.

      Content warnings ; rape, physical and sexual violence, gaslighting, trauma and other forms of domestic violence.

      Rating: 5 stars ?

      I'll definitely be reading the rest of the Hoops series and just like I'm currently doing with Talia Hibbert, I am purposing to read Ryan Kennedy's entire backlist. I am a sucker for nuanced romance books that deal with serious issues. Long shot was everything!

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      I don’t usually write reviews but this book really caught my attention. This story exposed the complexity of life. Hopefully it will open eyes to covert abuse. It is happening all around us. Also helped me to be more empathetic and compassionate. Highly encourage you to read it!

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Wow this was soooo good, I know I’m extremely late BookTok, lead me here….This story was amazing it resonated so deeply in my soul that Iris’ great grandmother “Mimi’s,” words healed parts of my soul that had been long damaged, this is a must read/listen!
    • 2/5
      *I haven't put any spoilers below about what happens with the hero and heroine. I have put what happens with the heroine and another character because I think it needs a clear warning*

      August sees Iris in a bar and loves the way she's yelling at the ref on the TV basketball game. And they get to talking about what matters in life. August is gorgeous and pretty much perfect - swoon! Sounds like a lovely beginning to a romance novel.

      The problem is that Iris already has a boyfriend and throughout the course of this book the boyfriend dishes out all manner of domestic abuse on our Iris. This is a chilling portrayal of what domestic abuse can be like - the isolation, violence, control, threats, sexual abuse, mental abuse and gaslighting. It's an excellent response to anyone who says "why didn't she just leave" And Iris isn't even one of those women who believes him that she's making him do it.

      This is a really tough read. Iris does get her HEA. But for me it was just too hard to read all the horrible stuff that happened in her life.

      It breaks my heart to think of all the women out there who live with this and I pray they can escape.
    • 5/5
      Heart wrenching but amazing and engaging. Read it/listen to it, you will feel different emotions but it will be worth it.
    • 4/5
      Should def have a huge SA/DV Warning! There are descriptions of SA,DV in detail on the page.. it was easy to fast forward past those parts without feeling like I missed something. With that being said it's still very well written and will def have you feeling all the emotions both good and bad.. I'm in love with the strength of everyone, and ready to strangle some of the others.
    • 5/5
      Female narrator was great! It's not easy to pull off male voices, and she does it so well. She is PHENOMENAL with the sections that require a lot of emotion. Pauses, inflections, frustration, fear, sorrow, everything! She brought it to life.

      The story itself is raw and heavy and well written.

      Often with KR's writing, I find myself getting annoyed with some of the main characters' actions, but when I really think about it, the decisions that they make really are (mostly) the best choice at the time given the circumstances. Overall, it's a good book and great listening experience. I got through it one day.
    • 5/5
      Emotional, sensual, heartbreaking and such a a great romantic novel. It wasn’t what I expected. I loved how every phase of Iris’s journey was given enough time to unfold even the painful parts. It didn’t feel like anything was skimmed over. Kennedy writes so beautifully!
    • 5/5
      I really did like this book. Definitely trigger warnings. However is a mix of sadness and happiness.
    • 5/5
      This is a very heavy book story. Very raw , very triggering and real .KR writing is amazing the way she writes this story was tender and beautiful . The narrators did such an amazing job bringing these charts alive. I will be reading more of hers for sure
    • 5/5
      This book was very very good. It was so emotional. There were so many parts in the book. Where are you? Thought you were going to have a heart attack and I don’t normally write reviews on books, but this one was so good 10 out of 10 I even cried a little and I don’t cry for books.
    • 3/5
      super super Sloooooooow burn and kinda graphic DV made me very uncomfortable I had to skip through a bit.
    • 5/5
      Check your triggers before reading, but this was a great book.
    • 4/5
      I absolutely loved this book. My only gripe was how awkward August could get. Sometimes he got a little pushy for my personal tastes and that took me out at times.

      Otherwise absolutely loved this story. Please check your triggers as this story deals heavily with on page physical abuse and domestic violence, gaslighting and more.

      To be clear NOT perpetuated by August the main love interest.
    • 5/5
      The cover of this book could not be more misleading. It does a great disservice. This book and the narration were absolutely phenomenal. Especially the female lead, the way she used silence and her emotion in the delivery were so good! The writing is compelling and masterful just a bit too graphic for my liking during the difficult scenes. The slow burn was... SLOW but the author was able to sell me on their connection right away, though it became more difficult to believe as time went by until they were reunited and he is the picture of absolute love and devotion towards her.
    • 5/5
      I was so impressed by this book. I went in expecting something totally different, but as I listened, the range of emotions I felt was so unbelievably real, that I immediately realized the important statement, tremendously needed message, it had within its pages. It takes a good and brave writer to tackle such subjects. I hope that whoever reads this book, whether it's been their or a loved one's experience OR NOT, please see this for what I'm sure it was intended to be at least in part. Thank you for writing such an important, while yes at points, entertaining and open book.
    • 4/5
      Great book. Good storytelling. Brought all the emotions out. ??
    • 3/5
      Audio narration - 2*, the reading was too flat, I hated the female narrator. She made Iris sound weak.
      Story - 4*, good story and fleshed out characters. Iris's struggles with domestic abuse and recovery were realistic, even brutal to read at times. I loved August. Didn't like the soulmates/love at 1st sight trope. Made the connection between Iris and August seem fabricated, forced, unrealistic.
    • 5/5
      "If you were mine, Iris there would be no doubt what position you'd hold in my life. You'd be centre. I'd play you at the five"

      I've had to leave this review for a few days because I have no idea how to write down my emotions about this book. If I could have given this more than five stars then believe me I would have.

      Not only is Kennedy Ryan outstanding at writing swoon-worthy men she is phenomenal at ripping your heart out.

      Kennedy doesn't shy away from the gruesome details and horrific events when it comes to the physical and emotional abuse that Iris has to deal with. She highlights the development of the abuse so well and how it subtly progresses. Not only that but how Iris then finds herself trapped and has to listen to other women say how they would get themselves out of the situation. When actually it's never that easy.

      I was on the edge of my seat at certain points praying for Iris in moments when I knew the worst was going to happen. In the end, she had her cousin and she had August. They helped her build her life back together and even though she had issues with her cousin, one word is all that needed to be said to make her show when she needed her the most.

      Expect to cry in this because I did. Multiple times. For multiple different reasons. I cannot recommend this baby enough.
    • 5/5
      Okay I have never reviewed a book before but with this one… I just had to! Such a well written, heartbreaking and beautiful story. It had me cry, laugh and sigh with happiness. I would love to see this a movie and want to see more of these characters life together!
    • 5/5
      The way and manner in which August loved Iris was mind blowing. The metaphors relating her life to nature (Mississippi, Louisiana etc made me want to do there.
    • 5/5
      Very well written I loved it from beginning to end
    • 5/5
      This book takes you through a whirlwind of emotions and thoughts. Iris was so strong her story really opens your eyes to the untold truths about abuse. Definitely be cautious about the trigger warnings. However, this book was so worth it. Loved it. I'll be continuing the series for sure.
    • 5/5
      Awesome! Intense story, but character development and romance was heartfelt.
    • 5/5
      Incredible book!! I haven’t read a book this well written in a long time. 12/10.
    • 5/5
      When I say your not ready for this book I mean it, it gives EVERYTHING. Recommending to all my bookfrans because this deserves ALL THE HYPE.